


The Hotel

by Killjoys_N_Whovians



Category: No Fandom
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:34:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23425582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Killjoys_N_Whovians/pseuds/Killjoys_N_Whovians
Summary: A normal high-school boy named Dallas Walker is on spring vacation to London meets a handsome and kind stranger. But is this stranger truly kind and as harmless as he seems? Or is he just a wolf in sheep's clothing?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: Although some of the places mentioned are real, the events there are completely fictional and should be treated as such. Also, if you want to republish somewhere or use a part of this in your own work you must get permission from me first.

I opened my eyes to the feeling of something sharp on my skin. The cold metal pressed against the back of my body caused me to shiver, but it only burned against the rope pressed into my exposed flesh. In front of me stood a man, I knew him. I despised him. “ Don’t give me that look, Anna. “ I gave him a glare that only hardened when he pressed his knife to my thigh. “ What, you don’t like that, Anna? “ He was mocking me now, a smirk ever so present on his face. 

“ That isn’t my name. And no, I don’t like it when you cut me you cunt. “ His eye twitched at my insult, bringing me great satisfaction that I got to him, even if it was only a little bit. “ I refuse to play your game anymore. Kill me if you want, death is better than being your plaything. “ I knew I had made him angry by his death grip on his knife and how red his face became, but I didn’t care. I can't live like this anymore, I know I’ll only find freedom in death. 

Eric circled me, watching me like I was prey. I held my head high, even as he began to cut into me. But he kept going deeper and deeper, making the warm blood run down my skin. I tried to hold in my scream, I did, but I just couldn’t. I could practically hear his satisfaction as I screamed. I watched through teary eyes as my blood added to the already bloodstained floor. 

He’d do it over and over again, slowly moving his blade against my skin, pressing harder as he went and if I didn’t give him the reaction he wanted he would press harder or go over it again the same way. This is how he got off, the sound of other’s screams, especially those begging for him to stop. But I gave up doing that long ago, when I realized there was nobody coming to save me. The only person to save me was me, and with no way to do that but obey I did exactly that. But I can’t anymore, I can’t. I don’t know how many months have passed since I got here, but it was Spring when I was taken and it has been snowing as of recently.

I suppose he got bored of just cutting me, and so he set his knife down and unzipped his pants. “ Just remember, if you kick me I will make this much worse than it has to be. “ I held my head low, not wanting to look at him as he cut my legs loose so he could spread them for easy access. Without warning, he shoved himself into me completely with no warning, which made me scream in utter agony. He let out a low groan, enjoying the feeling of my insides. He would always do this, and no matter how many times he did it it would always hurt.

He grabbed onto my hips, digging his nails into my cuts. It was so painful, I just wanted it to stop. Please, make it stop. But it didn’t, he just used my body again and again until he was satisfied. Zipping up his pants and fixing his suit, he picked his knife back up. As he walked closer, I felt my heart race and more sweat to fall down my face. He grabbed my chin and moved it up to stare him in the eyes. Both his eyes and his grin were wild with rage and pure insanity. I felt something in my stomach... I wasn’t sure what it was, then the pain exploded inside of me. Then there was the feeling of blood, oh my god he stabbed me… I tasted iron as my blood ran down my chin, and I began to lose consciousness. “ See, Anna? I can be nice! After all I gave you what you wanted. “ And with that, everything went black.


	2. Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas heads to London for spring break

I woke up to my phone alarm blaring, making me groan in annoyance. I snoozed it, and rolled over. This was the 3rd time I had snoozed it since I didn’t want to get up for school. Suddenly there was a knock at my door and a gentle voice belonging to my mom. “ Good morning Dallas! Are you almost ready to head to the airport? “ Oh crap, I forgot it was spring break which meant our vacation! 

I called out a simple yes and scrambled out of bed, rushing around my room to make sure I had everything in my suitcase and backpack that I would need for the trip. Triple checking to be sure, my bag was ready to go. I got dressed in a simple but comfy outfit for the long flight.

Running downstairs I put my stuff down by the door and went to grab some breakfast. It was about a half-hour until we left, so I didn’t have to rush through my cereal. I cleaned the bowl and put it back in the cupboard, and by then it was time to go.

My parents and I packed our stuff into the back of our car and headed to the airport. I hummed along to the music, watching out the window as we drove. It was early morning, so there weren’t many cars out but there would be soon. 

Arriving at the airport, we checked in ourselves and our bags then headed to security. We waited in the line which was long, as we had expected since it was break. Getting through with no problem we grabbed some food since we had extra time and headed towards our gate. About a half-hour later we boarded our flight, and in another 15 or so minutes we were off. 

I was careful to listen to the flight attendant, anxiety about flying resting in my chest. My hands were nastily sweaty as we took off. I played with my jacket’s strings to distract myself, though it hardly worked. Once we were in the air I turned on some music after grabbing my headphones out of my pocket.

The music was soothing which helped me calm down. I took deep breaths. This would be the worst part of the trip. If I just get through this, then I get to have a great time. I repeated this to myself until my anxiety mostly faded, but it was enough to let me drift off to sleep.

A few hours later I woke up and blinked a few times to get my bearings. I was confused where I was for a second but remembered I was on a plane, making my heart drop a little. Looking at my parents, my mom was playing an offline game on her phone while dad was taking a nap. I opened the shade and was greeted by the astonishing sight of the bright fluffy clouds below us. The sight was almost blinding at the brightness, but I couldn’t take my eyes off it.

After a few minutes when the light became too much, I finally looked away. It was about noon, so we were over halfway there. We’d be arriving around 4, which meant we’d still have time for some sight-seeing. I decided to get some reading in for the next few hours.

About to land, I put my book away and fastened my seatbelt. The flight attendants made sure everyone was buckled and then buckled themselves. It was nerve-wracking as turbulence hit. My mom took my hand, likely noting my anxiety. I tried to focus on my breathing, and after about 15 minutes we landed. We all waited for the clear to get out of the plane.

Once we got out of the plane, I instantly felt a lot better. We went through customs and got our passports checked. After that, we went and got our luggage, which luckily wasn’t lost. After walking through the declaration area, since we had nothing to declare, we had no issues. After that, my dad changed pocket money into British currency. We quickie ate some food so we wouldn’t be late to check-in and we were ready to head off. 

Leaving the airport my dad was able to catch a cab. Putting our luggage in the trunk we squished into the back seat. Telling the cabby our hotel name, we left. It was rush hour, so there was a lot of traffic. I didn’t really mind though, as it let me get a read of some of the city, and so I could check in with my friends and tell them I got to London safely.

Getting to the hotel, my dad paid the fare and we got our stuff, the cab speeding off. We went inside, and it was a decent hotel. Checking in, my dad gave me a key card for my wallet and he kept one for his. We put our stuff into our room and settled in. It was a simple room with two queen-sized beds, my parents would be sharing one and I got the other. 

I plopped onto the bed after taking off my shoes and just laid there for a few minutes, taking a picture of myself in the bed and sending it to my friends and posting it on social media with the caption ” In London safely! “ Afterwards I looked at my parents who were looking at a brochure they picked up at the airport. My mom circled some places they agreed upon. Looking at me when done, my mom asked if I was ready. I nodded and put my shoes back on. 

We decided to walk to the train station since it wasn’t that far, and it would save gas for the cabbies. Using the map app on my phone I lead us through the semi-crowded sidewalks. I usually wasn’t the best with lots of people, but I let my excitement fuel me. 

Getting to the station we bought a ticket for the next train that leads to the station that was closest to the Eye. We made small talk as we waited for the train, talking about how we were excited to see the Eye. I had seen it in many shows and movies, so actually experiencing it was going to be thrilling. Because of the time, there were many others getting onto the train.

The train was stuffy, but it wasn’t that bad overall. There were two seats in one row, so I told my parents to sit while I sat behind them. Since it was my first time on a train, I wasn’t quite ready for the initial takeoff but since I was sitting I didn’t have to worry about falling. I decided to scroll through social media while I waited to get there. I was looking at what my friends are doing, most of them going to see family or traveling but some stayed home.

We got off at our stop and got off the train and headed for the Eye. Judging by the line, we were probably going to be here for a while. While we waited in line, we all talked. I was glad I had such a good relationship with them. We talked about random things, my dad telling me about a soccer game he had watched a few days ago. I wasn’t that interested in sports, but I let him tell me anyway. My mom told me about a pottery magazine that she subscribed to. She had recently gotten into the hobby and I was glad to see her so proud of something she made.

Eventually, we made it to the ticket line, and I bought the tickets for us. I and my parents agreed I’d chip in here and there to help pay. After this, we went to the actual line to get on and waited again. My dad started cracking dad jokes and horrible, horrible puns that made me laugh and my mom roll her eyes with a snicker. My mom insisted we got a photo with the Eye in the background, and since my phone had the best camera, I took the picture of the three of us and sent it to both of them. I abruptly got the feeling someone was watching me but I didn’t see anyone that was when I looked around. It was odd.

When we got into the capsule I was nervous, I mean we were going to end up really high in the sky. But I knew we were safe, I mean so many people have been on it without accident so we should be fine, right? I mean this is probably safer than the plane so if I can get through that I can get through this!  
We were in the capsule with some others, but I didn’t really mind. My anxiety lessened as I stared at the scenic landscape as we got higher and higher. I didn’t dare look straight down though. Just like the other people in the capsule me and my parents were all taking pictures. Posting them, I put my phone away to just let myself enjoy the moment. The sun was beginning to set too, which made it more pretty. 

Me and my parents didn’t talk much while we were up there, all just enjoying the scenery. The view of London was absolutely stunning. I wished I could stay up there forever, no worries could reach me. It really felt like a bubble from the outside world, almost as if it didn’t exist.

I was disappointed when we had to get off, but I was delighted that we would be going on a river cruise in about 10 minutes. We quickly made our way there, luckily it wasn’t very far so we reached it in no time. My mom had the ticket person scan our pre-reserved tickets. 

Letting us onto the boat, we headed into the main area and sat for a bit until we left the docks. Once we did though, my parents asked if it would be okay if they went by themselves for a bit to the back part of the boat. I didn’t mind having the time alone though. “ Of course! Have fun, “

I went to the front where there were surprisingly no people. We hadn’t gone far but I still enjoyed the sights. That’s when I was startled as I heard a man’s voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hia! Sorry if this chapter feels really rushed around, I'm not the best at traveling scenes and this is trying to get the characters where they need to be. I'm open to feedback!


	3. As They Meet

I patiently waited to get onto the London Eye, absentmindedly checking my Rolea watch every once in a while. Among the usual chatter, I heard the sound of a lovely sounding laugh. Intrigued, I looked over to see an older teen boy with black hair and emerald eyes. He was standing with two adults, likely his parents, and judging by their accents, they were American. I quickly looked away after taking a quick but clear photo so as to not draw attention to myself as I would make myself known when the time is right. I went on my phone until the capsule was ready. 

The group I was with was of people I didn’t know, so I just quietly watched the area below. The chatter around me wasn’t very interesting, as it consisted of mainly tourists talking about how beautiful the area was and their travel plans for the day. The amusement park nearby, Jubilee Gardens, was bustling with life even at the later hour. It was especially busy because of the springtime weather and the fact it was spring break so many people were traveling. 

Big Ben was glowing brightly in the darker skies, making itself more eye-catching than in the daylight. The London Bridge was also gleaming and bright. For the most part, it was difficult to see much else than the outlines of buildings, but it was nice nonetheless. The Thames River was glistening in the artificial light, but the water was still very dark.

Getting off the capsule I walked to the cruise that went around Thames river, I was booked for the latest time so it was less busy and I was told to go to it a half-hour before by the owners. I got onto the boat and took a seat on the inside on the edge of the room, watching the other people and going on my phone. The boat began to fill up, but there weren't all that many people there. To my surprise and delight, I noticed the boy from earlier in an oversized and cozy sweater. His parents went to the back part of the deck as we began moving but he went out to the front, likely to look at the water and the sights around us without having his parents around. 

After a few minutes, when I figured he was relaxed and likely alone I headed after him. I was right, he was. I walked to stand next to him, giving him a friendly smile. “ Hello! My name is Eric White, I noticed you were alone over here and I was wondering if it would be alright for me to join you? “ He was startled but didn’t seem afraid. “ Dallas Miller, and sure, I don’t mind the company, “ I gave him a nod.

We started with small talk and slowly moved to slightly more personal topics such as our favorite things. I was careful about how I was answering, making sure to keep up my charm. As it turned out, we had the same favorite color, green. I noticed he was very relaxed standing next to me, all weariness gone. “ What is your biggest fear? “ I was startled by the question at first, but I had to think about it. I haven’t been afraid in a… really long time actually. “ Failure I suppose, and yours? “ This was how we had been going on with our conversation, asking questions about the other, and sharing our own answer. 

“ Not being able to see my friends or family again. I love them dearly so that would kill me inside. “ That was a fair response, but if he only knew. We continued on like this, so I learned about his pet peeves, his accomplishments, and more. He learned some of mine as well, but I admittingly had made some white lies here and there. 

I briefly mentioned my butterfly garden, and he got very excited over the idea of it. I told him about it, how I had 8 butterflies at the moment but I was looking to add to my collection. I told him the names of the ones I have and described some of their colors since he was so interested. 

We were nearly back now, so I handed him my business card that had my number on it, but this one had my personal number. “ Call me if you’d like, I would love to show you around London, or even my butterfly garden sometime. “ Nodding his head he put it in his wallet which had the Bagmon logo. It was cute and so I made a mental note to mention it later.

We shared a simple goodbye and parted ways as we got back to the docks. I called a special contact, telling him Dallas’s name and sending him the photo of him earlier, and the fact he was indeed American as I learned from our talk. He would have more information on Dallas later, so in the meantime, I headed back to my house. 

I went around and did some things, working on boring company stuff then turning on my tv for a while. There really wasn’t anything interesting on so I just put on the news as background noise. I called one of my guards and asked how my butterflies were doing. The guard said they were all well but seemed bored, having played all the games and read almost all the books, though they were about to go to bed. I told him to tell them I said hello, and hung up. 

I browsed the internet for more books and games for my butterflies so they wouldn’t be so bored. Finding some mostly non-violent games for their devices I purchased them with quick shipping. I would give them to them when I go to visit. I wanted to make sure they weren’t too violent, after all, I don’t want my butterflies to be thinking about anything of such matters. I would have to ask about the books tomorrow to get some requests.

After a few hours, I found myself staring up at my ceiling while lying in bed. I couldn’t get Dallas out of my mind, especially his looks. His green eyes, his plump lips. He was absolutely stunning, and that is likely why I took the photo earlier. Truthfully, I wasn’t fully sure the reason I did it. I just let my hand do it, not thinking much of it at the time. I grabbed my phone off the charger upon hearing it go off. 

It was my contact, he had a file about Dallas and he was sending someone to give it to me tomorrow morning. I thanked him and went to my gallery to see the photo. I memorized each curve and line of his face, just enjoying looking at it. I became tired, however, so I placed my phone back on charge and turned over, letting myself drift into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it is unclear, this isn't from Dallas' POV


	4. London Views

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric and his parents go sight-seeing around London

I woke up to my mother’s alarm blaring one of her favorite pop songs. I groaned in annoyance, only having fallen asleep about 5 hours ago since I kept thinking of Eric. He was very kind, and not creepy which was great. I wonder what his garden looks like… it must be beautiful. A lot of plants, likely. Brushing the thought away I got up, going to the bathroom for a quick shower to freshen up, playing some music off my phone.

Once done and ready I came back into the main part of our room, putting on my high-top tennis shoes and socks. Grabbing my backpack which contained my camera and a portable charger. I had put Eric’s number in my phone once we got back to the hotel last night, so I quickly shot him a simple text hello. I hadn’t mentioned him to my parents since I knew that they wouldn’t like the fact I was talking to a man in his mid 20’s. They would have a fair suspicion about him but there was just something about him that made me trust him, betraying all I was told about strangers since I was a kid. 

We left the hotel pretty much as soon as I had sent the text and caught a taxi outside and headed for London Bridge. It wasn’t a far trip, so the fare wasn’t much. 

When we got out of the taxi, I walked closer to the rail that kept us from the water. We weren’t yet on the bridge but a little bit away for pictures and such. I grabbed my camera out of my backpack and snapped a couple of pictures of just the bridge then some of my parents with the bridge in the background. Then we got one of all 3 of us together thanks to a stranger who offered to take the picture. 

While my parents were chatting about what to do next I pulled out my phone to see I had received a message back from Eric. Good morning, how are you? 

I’m good, I’m out sight-seeing with my parents. How are you?

I didn’t sleep much so I’m still a bit tired, but that’s nothing that coffee can’t fix! I let out a soft chuckle

Oh, 200%. Well I’ve got to go, I’ll talk to you later

Goodbye!

And with that, I put my phone away. My parents were still talking so I got into the conversation. They were trying to decide if we should go onto the bridge or to our next spot since there wasn’t actually much to do on the bridge. I said we should go to our next spot which was the Tower of London, to which my dad gave my mom a triumphant smile since that is what he wanted to do as well. She just rolled her eyes with a chuckle and a playful hit on his shoulder. He jokingly acted as if he had been seriously hurt, going “ Oh the humanity! This is where I shall die. “ So my mom gave him another playful hit and said “ Oh Nathan, stop making a scene! “

Dad gave in and waved down another taxi and told the cabby where we wanted to go. This was an even shorter drive but because of the traffic, it took a bit longer than it would’ve if there wasn’t traffic. I watched as the buildings and people passed by, just trying to enjoy the ride. 

Once there and after dad paid the fare we headed to the Yeoman Warder Tour. The tour was packed with people but thankfully the guide had a very loud voice. We learned about the history of the grounds, the people who were executed and imprisoned, and more. 

The walls were made out of light-colored stones that were very obliviously old but taken care of. The floors were similar, but the stones were much darker than the walls. We went and saw the crown jewels which was in a thick layer of glass, probably bulletproof. Then we went to St. John’s chapel which featured many windows. And even though we weren’t allowed in past the beginning of the pews, I was still able to take nice pictures.

I took many pictures throughout the rest of the tour since it was all so beautiful. After this, we walked around to the areas not covered in the tour but were recommended by the guide. I understood why they were recommended because they were just as cool as the ones on the tour.

One of the places was the White Tower, which is the oldest of the towers. We went to the “Line of Kings” exhibit to see it’s many historical items and their history. I wouldn’t say I am a history person but I can appreciate it from time to time. As to be expected I continued to take photos, some of which including my parents pretending to do wacky things such as my dad who pretended to be a knight ready to get onto one of the life-sized wooden horses.

My mom really liked the look of the dragon statue on the highest floor, but my dad wasn’t the biggest fan. My dad only seemed to look at the outside appearance, ignoring the fact that it was made out of many things of historical importance. She asked me to take some photos of her with it which I had no problem obliging. Personally, I liked the look of it. 

By the time we were done walking around it was lunchtime, so we headed to a nearby cafe to eat. It was pretty cute and cozy. We ordered our food and talked about the Tower of London, discussing history and such while we waited. It was nice to be spending this much time with my parents. I mean, we talked during dinner and such but we don’t hang out very often. 

We got our food and ate in comfortable silence. I listened to the sounds of the cafe, it wasn’t that loud and they had the radio playing for music. The food was delicious, and its taste made my tummy feel very pleased. With permission from my parents, I ordered a boba tea to go. I got strawberry milk tea with rainbow popping pearls, one of my favorite combinations. 

Leaving the cafe after paying we headed to our next destination, Big Ben. I was especially excited about this one since it has been in so many movies and shows! Once again getting into a taxi. Once again I watched the passing scenery as I drank my bubble tea. 

After getting there and paying the fare, we stepped out onto the street. The pictures of the famous clock tower does not truly prepare you for how large it actually is. It made me feel like an ant looking at a cup or something. I traced the intricate design with my eyes, overwhelmed with its size and beauty. I took many photos and had my dad, who is also into photography, take some of me with the clock tower. We stayed for a bit longer before heading to our next location, the Imperial War Museum.

We decided to walk this time since it was so close, only around 20 mins. We were careful of the heavy traffic, not wanting to be hit on accident. Weaving through the people and trying to stay together wasn’t the easiest task but it could’ve been worse. 

Getting to the museum we went inside. Just like the Tower of London, it was pretty packed. I’m glad that I don’t have a fear of crowds or small spaces, or I’d be dying in here. We decided to first head to the planes. They were enormous. 

Most eye-catching was the classic Spitfire. Reading about it and taking photos in front of it felt really cool. I enjoyed reading about all of the planes, I used to be really into them when I was a kid. Mom was completely nerding out as well, she’s who I got my love of planes from. Sorta surprising was how much she knew specifically about some of the planes here.

She was telling us all about them which gave me and dad audio to the visual of the information. If I’m being honest this was the happiest I’ve seen her in a while which made my heart swell. The way dad was looking at her, the smile on his face, just showed how in love he was with her. 

That’s actually how they met, my mom maintained planes and she happened to work on a friend of my fathers’ plane, who introduced them. They used to tell me that as a bedtime story when I was a kid, but I loved it every time. I always thought it felt straight out of the movies. Even as I’m older it still does.

We moved on to the next area, the Holocaust Exhibition. A silence fell upon us as we entered, just taking in the weight of what had happened. Being at a museum like that, it was overwhelming. Seeing pictures of the concentration camps and the well being of those inside… It was horrifying. I can’t imagine what it must have been like.

We kept looking through the area and watched a small film in one of the rooms. It was quite a large exhibit, but considering how massive this museum is it doesn’t really surprise me. And quite frankly I think it is important to remember things like this. History will only repeat itself if you don’t recognize your past mistakes, after all.

We moved onto the next area, the place they had WW2 rockets. They were massive! A small gasp of surprise left me at the mere sight of it, I can’t imagine what it was like for soldiers. I took some pictures of both the rockets and the drawings explaining the interior. 

By the time we were done there, it was approaching 6, so the museum was going to close soon. We were getting hungry anyway though, so we decided to leave. We found a place off of my mother’s map app on her phone. It was around a decent walk but my dad’s legs were getting tired so we decided to take a cab.

Once we got there, we sat down. The pub was full of Sherlock Holmes memorabilia, which is why we chose to eat here. That was one of my father’s favorite book series. I ordered a box of bacon and cheeseburger, my mom getting fish and chips, and dad getting the same as mom. We made some small talk during the wait, but I was given some time to go on my phone since I haven’t really had the chance to all day. I noticed among texts from my friends, there was one from Eric.

How is sightseeing, cutie?

I felt my heart skip a beat at the nickname.

It has been fun, I’ve gotten a lot of great photos! How has your day been?

I’m glad you’re having a good time, you’ll have to show me those pictures sometime. My day hasn’t been all that eventful, I’ve just been working.

Well after you’re done with work you should try to take some time to relax! Stress isn’t good for you, after all. 

Thank you for caring, I will cutie.

Good :)

:)

I put my phone away after responding to my best friend, and by then our food was ready. We talked about the museum as we ate, what we really liked about certain exhibitions and what we weren’t all that interested in. My mom said the planes, unsurprisingly. My dad said the rockets. I, however, agreed with my mom about the planes being great. 

We left the restaurant at about 7, meaning it was completely dark. Because of it being so late most places were closed so we decided to head back to the hotel to go swimming in its indoor pool. 

We headed back to the hotel, walking because conveniently the pub was very close to our hotel. The city was less crowded now, and it seemed as it almost came more to life with all of the pubs and bars opening. I took photos of some of the signs.

Getting back to the hotel, we quickly changed into our swimwear with loose clothes on top so that we weren’t walking through the hotel in swimsuits. My mom double-checked with the front desk that there were towels in the pool area so we didn’t have to worry about that. I had also brought sandals for this reason, and once we were ready we headed down. 

There were other people, but it wasn’t too crowded. It wasn’t a huge pool, but it also wasn’t small. It was also completed by a small hot tub in the corner, which my parents headed to. However, I decided to go to the main pool. Having a fair amount of distance open I swam forward, letting my head go under as well. 

The warm water was relaxing against my cold skin. When I saw a clouded figure about a meter and a half away I stopped, catching my breath. The figure was a female, who gave me a polite smile which I returned; and then turned back to her friend. I swam back to where I started, the path still being open. 

I did this a good few times, really working my limbs. That’s when I decided I was done and joined my parents and a few others in the hot tub. The really hot water forced my muscles to relax, which felt heavenly. I think I overdid it, but what’s done is done. 

My father introduced me to another couple around their age that they’ve been talking to. I made polite conversation, not really wanting to talk but also not wanting to be rude so I mostly just relaxed and zoned out of the conversation.

After a bit, my parents were ready to leave as was I. We all grabbed a towel and dried off. After that, we went back to our room and took turns taking showers. By the time we were done, it was nearly 10 at night. My dad shut off the light, and we all went to bed.

While my parents went to sleep I decided to go through today’s pictures. I deleted some I didn’t like, and favorited others. Using the wireless connector I connected it to my phone and transferred the photos over, posting them on social media. It was pretty late, but I still decided to text Eric. After all, I don’t know his sleep schedule.

You up?

I waited, biting my lip. But I didn’t have to wait long.

I am, what’s up?

Nothing much, I just finished uploading some of the photos from today onto my socials. 

What’s your username? I’ll add you.

I sent him my username, and within a minute I got a notification that I was being followed by Eric White. Wait, what? I thought he said his last name was Smith? I decided not to ask about it though. It doesn’t really matter all that much anyway. 

Looking through his account I noticed he had a large number of followers and it said he was the owner of an alcohol business named White Industries. There were plenty of pictures of various alcohols. I decided to ask about it.

You never told me you owned a business!

And you didn’t ask haha, but yes I do. It’s an alcoholic business which means that we produce and sell high-quality alcohol. 

Sounds interesting!

I can show you it while you’re here if you’d like

That would be amazing, but I don’t know if my parents would let me go. 

Just tell them you made a friend on the boat and you really want to meet up with them again. 

That could work, what day were you thinking?

Tuesday, if that works for you?

Yeah sure

It was currently about to be Monday so I decided to head to sleep.

Well, I’m going to try to sleep, goodnight handsome!

Goodnight, cutie!


	5. A Day in Paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas and Eric go sight-seeing

Monday was amazing. Me and my parents went to Boogie Wonderland, Sea Life Aquarium, some cute random shops, and Jubilee Gardens.

I could hardly sleep that night, so excited to see Eric again and to see wherever he was taking me. He would only tell me that one of his destinations was his office so who knows. When I told my parents about meeting up with someone they were conflicted but agreed to let me go since I was less than 2 years from being a legal adult and they knew I was responsible.

I tossed and turned in my bed for a while before managing to fall into a deep sleep. 

I was walking through a field when I came across warning signs. There was a rustling behind me, I turned quickly to see it was Eric coming from the edge of the field. He gave me a charming smile, making me temporarily forget where I was. I laid my head on his chest just relaxing in his arms. That was until the warning signs that surrounded us began to glow and heat up, it felt like I was surrounded by open ovens. Eric led me away quickly, and once we were far from the signs he held me close, so close I could smell his fresh peppermint cologne. I felt my cheeks heat up, causing a deep rumble echo through his chest. 

I woke up with a start to my alarm, my face beat red. Okay heart that’s not cool, I thought to myself. Catching feelings for a practical stranger? But then again I do trust him enough to go around with him alone… Oh well. But what was with those danger signs? What was my subconscious trying to warn me about? Eric? No, no way. He’s given me no reason to be wary of him, it’s probably just all those years of stranger danger in school.

I decided to get up and get ready. I had my alarm set an hour and a half before Eric said he’d be here to pick me up so that I had time to shower and stuff. My parents were still asleep, they didn’t need to be up as early so I could take a shower that I didn’t have to worry about rushing, so I did just that.

Getting out of the bathroom after doing my morning routine I checked my phone, I had about a half-hour left until I needed to be outside. I checked the weather and saw it was going to be pretty chilly and windy today, so I made sure to grab one of my thicker hoodies that went down nearly to my knees and the sleeves could cover my hands if I let them. I decided to go on my phone while I waited.

With a few minutes till I needed to be outside, I headed out, texting my mom that I was leaving so she’d know when she woke up and didn’t worry about me being gone. At exactly the time we planned, a black limo pulled in front of the hotel. I was surprised when I saw Eric roll down the back window, but I probably shouldn’t be considering how big his company is. 

Getting in next to him he handed me hot cocoa with whipped creme and mini marshmallows as we started moving. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, surprised at the gesture. “ What? It’s cold out, even in the car. “ I nodded in agreement and took a sip of the warm drink. It was really good, and I unintentionally let out a small hum of enjoyment as I closed my eyes. It was only when I heard a chuckle beside me that I realized what happened, my face flushing with red. 

I quickly opened my eyes and held the hot cocoa in my lap. I cleared my throat and turned to him, seeing he was staring at me with his piercing brown eyes in amusement. My face flushed again, so I took a deep breath. Okay, Dallas, stop acting like a schoolgirl and chill out. Don’t make this weird. “ So where are we heading? “ Eric hummed as if debating on if he should tell me or surprise me. “ My company, I’d like to show it to you. “

I instantly lit up, feeling excitement rush through me. I haven’t been to any company buildings, especially not one for one of the biggest brewery companies in the UK! I wondered what it would look like for the rest of the car ride until we pulled up to a big set of buildings, the main one having White Brewing Co. written in large lettering across the top of the front. 

Eric got out and opened my door for me, closing it after I got out and thanked him. He led me inside the building, inside was a large bar with plenty of alcohols behind it and tables with chairs around the room. “ This building is open to the public, as it gets later in the day more people will come in and drink and relax with their friends, partners, or family. “ I nodded. 

“ Would you like to see the brews about to be released? “ A sneak peek into what was going to come out soon? I’m down! I nodded and he turned the sign on the door to closed and lead me to a small table, holding out my chair for me and pushing it in. What a gentleman… 

Eric asked one of the employees to grab some samples, making me confused. I mean I don’t think I’m of legal drinking age here in the UK? Eric took notice, and as if reading my mind said, “ You are allowed to drink alcohol because I’m an adult and I’m with you. If you were alone you couldn’t until you were 18. Also, you will only be drinking about 1 ½ shots in total, “ I nodded my head, a bit hesitant but excited. How would they taste? My parents didn’t drink very much and so they didn’t let me try it often either. 

The employee brought over a small tray with 3 little cups that had labels on it and set it on the table along with two large glasses of ice water and some biscuits. I thanked them and looked to Eric for guidance. “ This one isn’t very strong, and it’s more fruity, “ He handed me a cup that was labeled “Wicked Slush” I took the shot. 

It didn’t burn too bad but enough for me to cough a bit and need to drink some of my water. It did taste very fruity as Eric had said. “ It’s really good! I like it a lot. “ He handed the next one, “Steamy Paradise” to me with a reassuring smile. I could tell it was stronger significantly just by the smell. 

This time the shot burned like hell, god it hurt. I drank down more than half of my water before it mostly stopped. The whole time Eric rubbed my back soothingly, just letting me get it out. “ Before you drink the last one, sweet stuff, which is only beer, finish your water and eat a biscuit or two, “ I was too focused on not dying to blush at the pet name. 

I didn’t protest, however, and did as he asked and felt a lot better. While I was regaining my composure we talked casually, Eric checking up on me every once in a while to make sure I was okay, and I appreciated it. Once I was ready, I looked at the last cup. It was labeled “Devil’s Touch” and upon drinking it, it was quite refreshing. It tasted like wood and mint, reminding me of the forest, and Eric. Maybe that’s why it was my favorite. 

I gave Eric a thumbs up with a large smile, making him smile in return. After that he had me drink more water and eat a few more biscuits as we talked to make sure I was sober. 

Eric decided to show me his office, since most of the brewery wasn’t that interesting, according to him. It was a fair walk to the elevator; we had to go through a few buildings. 

Getting into the elevator made me realize how close Eric and I were. His shoulder was practically brushing against mine, along with his hand. Upon realizing this I felt the heat rise to my face, inwardly hoping he’d just take my hand. But he didn’t, and the elevator ride was cut too short. 

We walked through the short hallway to a door at the end which read “Mr. White” in gold lettering. Fancy. 

Getting inside, you could tell it was someone of importance’s office. “ Feel free to look around as you wish, and don’t hesitate to ask any questions, “ and with that, Eric sat in his chair, one leg crossed over the other and watched me. 

There was a large bookcase that encompassed the back wall. In front of it was a large desk with a comfy-looking chair behind it for Eric and two less comfy-looking chairs in front of it, presumably for clients. The desk had a large monitor at an angle. To my left, there was a large flat screened tv mounted on the wall which was currently off. Upon further inspection, I noticed speakers around the room, likely for surround sound. 

The dark marble flooring was sleek, as was the wooden ceiling panels. Towards the desk, the ceiling went up a bit and had lighting in the sides casting a soft glow. The view from the windows on the right wall, which had two couches in front of them, was really lovely. It showed the city below and the brewery. 

Done exploring, I sat in one of the client chairs. As I figured, they weren’t the most comfortable but better than I expected. I looked at Eric expectantly, not sure what to do next. “ Do you have any questions? “ I shook my head silently. Eric and I stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like centuries but was only moments. But in those moments I noticed how much the color of his eyes reminded me of freshly-rained dirt and how he had bags under his eyes. 

“ Let me show you the surround sound, then. And then we can go to our next destination, “ With the click of his remote, I saw the speakers light up. Eric did something on his phone, and my favorite song started playing. I furrowed my eyebrows at Eric, did he know? “ You mentioned it on the boat, “ I was shocked. He remembered? I expected him to forget if I’m being honest. 

As the song played, I let myself get lost in the music. I softly swayed, closing my eyes. The surround sound did make a difference. It was like I was in the room with the artist. But, like every song, it came to an end. And just like that, we left. 

We arrived in an area with canals and many waterside pubs, restaurants, and cafes. The streets were packed. Eric once again opened my door for me and we got out, walking towards all the businesses. “ Where are we? “ I didn’t recognize the area from any of the photos I’ve seen online… “ We’re in Little Venice. “ Ohh! I’ve heard about this place. It was atmospheric.

We walked along the canal in peaceful silence, also walking through the park before heading to a theater cafe. The food was really good and the show was amazing, I offered to pay for my food but Eric told me I shouldn’t worry about it. 

After the show, we headed to the zoo which wasn’t busy which was nice. I loved seeing all the animals, and talking to Eric about them was pretty cool. I made sure to take lots of photos of the animals for later, including some with Eric. I swear to god that man is so photogenic, it’s like he looked good so effortlessly. Darn attractive man. 

We stopped at the gift shop because I wanted to buy something with a giraffe on it since that’s my favorite animal. There was a really cute plushy giraffe that caught my eye, and I knew it had to be mine. But just like before, Eric convinced me to let him buy it for me. He’s so generous. 

Along with that, there were these really cute giraffe capes but they were only in kid sizes sadly. I think Eric noticed my disappointment though because he quickly asked the cashier if they had any in adult sizes, and they happened to have one! Eric wouldn’t let me pay for that either. Darn it. When I put it on it felt like it was professionally made, definitely nicer than you’d expect a zoo gift shop to have. I felt kind of childish but because Eric was with me it made me feel better. 

By the time we were done at the zoo, it was dinner time. I wasn’t sure where we were going since Eric once again refused to tell me, only to leave the stuff he got me in the car until after. But when we pulled up I immediately felt self-conscious. It was a really fancy restaurant and I was just in my everyday clothes. Eric would blend right in since he’s always in his suit but I stuck out like a sore thumb. 

Eric noticed this and reassured me that it was fine, we’d be sitting alone outside anyway so it’s not like I had to deal with people’s stares the whole time. The outside area was even more beautiful than the inside, fairy lights were strung around the area with a balcony view of the city below. 

I didn’t recognize half of the names on the menu so I relied on pictures and descriptions to get me through it. I tried to keep it on the less expensive side but that was a hard task because of how high quality the restaurant was. 

When the waiter came to take our order he asked “ What would the lovely couple want tonight? “ Which made heat rise to my face so fast. After Eric ordered I managed to stammer my way through ordering my food. I mean, we weren’t a couple, and I didn’t even realize I could pass as an adult since I’d have to be in a relationship with Eric. 

Even so, we made it through the dinner without too many embarrassing moments. It was so nice, the food was better than anything I had ever tasted. I and Eric talked about everything and anything, everything felt so perfect. It was like a dream come true, I didn’t want it to end but it was getting late. If I was too late my parents would get worried. 

Eric didn’t let me try to help with the bill which was kind but made me feel bad. I mean it couldn’t have been a cheap meal and he hadn’t let me pay for anything that day! Hell, I’m pretty sure that he had something to do with that giraffe cape being in an adult size. I mean I’m sure it was the only one! But I didn’t comment on it. 

I put the cape back on when we got in the car, it felt oddly comforting. And for some reason, likely because I’ve been standing pretty close to him, it slightly had his scent. That and my hands were freezing! Damn, London is cold this time of year! Eric offered his hand for me to take as the driver started the car.

At first I was confused but upon taking his hand I felt how warm it was against my frigid one. He also turned up the heat, what a sweetheart. I thanked him, and we headed towards my hotel, holding hands the entire time. The driver parked in the parking lot and we both got out, Eric once again holding my door. He didn’t move when I got out though, so we stood exceedingly close. 

“ May I? “ It was a question that could have meant a thousand things, but I nodded anyway. Eric held me close in a tight embrace, and we just stayed like that for who knows how long. I was glad we were far enough from most people so we could share the intimate moment alone, except for the driver of course, and the cars on the street that paid us no mind. 

“ I have to go, “ I whispered into his jacket. “ my parents must be getting worried about where I am. “ He nodded and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, his stubble tickling my skin. He led me to the door and told me to text him, before leaving. 

When I got into my room my parents immediately started asking me questions about where I was, what did I do, where did the things Eric got me to come from, and just general parent things. I told them what I did but left out a few parts, like the intimates and how we went to a brewery, and just generally that I had been with an adult the whole day. I knew they wouldn’t approve. 

They gave in after a bit, and we headed to bed since it was late. I was exhausted but looked at my phone before heading to bed. On it was a text from Eric. 

“ Meet me in Hyde Park at 4 p.m. tomorrow, I want to take you, and just you, to my butterfly garden “

I smiled.


	6. Going to The Butterfly Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dallas goes with Eric to his mysterious butterfly garden, but he's not prepared for what awaits him

The next day we went around but as it neared 3 I told my parents that I wasn’t feeling well, but that they should go without me. It took some persisting but they went to their next location, Borough Market, and I headed to Hyde Park. I had enough time to walk, so I did. At around 4, a limo pulled up next to me, the window rolled down and Eric gave me his signature grin

Getting in the limo next to Eric, he let me buckle before holding up a blindfold. “What’s that for? “ I raised my eyebrow, why be blindfolded when I’m just going to a butterfly garden? “My butterfly garden is in a secret location, dear. I trust you however for privacy reasons, please just let me put it on after you turn off your phone. “

I was slightly suspicious, but since he had never given me a reason to not trust him I leaned forward and tipped my head down so he could tie it easier after he watched me turn off my phone and put it back in my pocket. He whispered a soft thanks, gently tying it so it was tight, but not too tight. I sat back after he was done, placing my hands in my lap. We started moving, but Eric said nothing at first so all I had to listen to was the subtle hum of the engine and the radio’s quiet music.

“I think you are going to love my butterflies, dear. They are quite friendly, and not rude in the slightest. “ Furrowing my eyebrows, I was confused why he talks about them like they are humans rather than butterflies. So I asked why he did that, and he responded “It’s nothing to worry your pretty little head about, you’ll see when we are there. “ 

I let my mind drift to the garden, thinking of the different colors they could be and the garden itself. Was the air humid, was the room mostly plants? What were the walls and roof made of? Was it glass? Do butterflies need sunlight to survive? Questions flurried around my mind which was a nice distraction.

It felt like we were driving for hours, but since I couldn’t look at my phone I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Eric and I didn’t speak much, just some small talk. At a certain point, the radio kept going to static and cracking up so it was shut off which means we were likely in the countryside, so it was fair to say we were driving for a while. I let out a quiet sigh of relief as we turned a sharp corner and stopped. 

I went to remove my blindfold but a firm grasp on my hand stopped me. “ Not until we are inside, dear, “I was nervous I’d fall on the way in but Eric was there to guide me every step of the way. Even though the blindfold I could see that it was still daytime, but later than before. 

Going inside I heard voices, they were chatting and laughing about something. Why would there be other people in the garden? Maybe they took care of the butterflies… Well wait, it doesn’t sound or smell like you’d expect a butterfly garden to. No fresh air, or the smell of plants. As we moved into the next room the chatter went silent, making me feel more nervous than before. The door clicked as it locked, and my blindfold was removed. 

I was standing in front of many people around my age, all-female, who were sitting on a very large L shaped couch, a chair, and some were on the ground. There was a coffee table in front of the couch too. Opposite of them was a very large tv, it was on one of the music channels. Three guards lined up the walls. The teens around my age were of a variety, but they all had two things in common. They had a shoulderless top on, with a heart cut out on the chest along with shorts that matched their individual colored tops. They also all wore collars that were again the same color as the rest of their outfits. 

I felt so out of place, and who are these people? “Where are the butterflies? “ The question slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. Eric chuckled as if it was amusing to him. “These are my butterflies dear, and this hotel is my Garden. “ I was shocked, confused, and frightened.

“Meet your newest garden-mate Emerald. Treat him nicely, won’t you? “ He was glaring at them with a warning, which he returned to me as he noticed I was going to object to the name. Wait, garden-mate? Am I the newest butterfly now? I don’t want to be! I want to go home, I want to see my parents again. I want to see my friends! I shouldn’t have gone with Eric, I’m such an idiot! 

I backed up, getting ready to make a run for it. I had to try, I had one last shot at freedom and this was it. As I turned, I felt a strong grip on my shoulders. I tried to pull away but I was weaker than the person. My fight or flight kicking in I started wiggling around and kicking trying everything I could to get free… Until I heard the click and felt the barrel of a pistol press itself against my head, making me stop abruptly. I felt my phone be taken out of my pocket. 

A bodyguard, I assumed by his build and suit, walked up to me. He held out an emerald green crop top and shorts, but it also had a green collar which I timidly took from him. Grabbing my arm, he led me over to a door and pushed me inside with a gruff “Change. “ And a look of warning that made it clear if I didn’t do as asked I’d be killed.

I was in a really expensive looking bathroom, a lot of gold embellishments. I looked around for a minute, trying to see if there was a way out to no avail. I gave in with a sigh and changed into the clothes I was supposed to. I shoved my bracelet into my pocket, afraid that they would try to take it too. Looking in the mirror I got a closer look at the collar, seeing it had a round silver tag with ‘Emerald’ engraved into the front in a fancy font, and ‘Property of Eric White’ on the back. It made a surge of anger pulse through my body. I was no one’s property. Nevertheless, I put it on and walked out. 

“Splendid! You look stunning, dear. I knew green would be a suiting color for you, “ Eric was close to me, letting his eyes memorize every detail of my exposed skin. It made me feel dirty and angry now, but a small part of me didn’t mind it. I mentally blamed it on Eric being so attractive. 

Eric took a few steps away so the bodyguard could take my old clothes but I held them tightly to me. These were my last physical ties to my old life, I didn’t want to lose them. I backed up against the wall clutching them as hard as I could. The bodyguard pursued, slightly ripping the cloth of my old shirt. He tried again and successfully got it from my arms but in the process managed to purposely twist my arm in such a way that I distinctly heard a loud crack. After a few seconds of shock, the pain set in. I cried out in agony, tears rushing out of my eyes as I fell to the ground holding my clearly broken arm in pain. 

I heard footsteps of someone quickly approaching but it was hard to see through my blurry eyes. I felt someone hold me close to them, their body distinctly female so I knew it wasn’t Eric nor a bodyguard. I cried into her shirt, not being able to move my arm which had sharp pains running throughout it. Eric was talking to someone on the phone, hopefully, a doctor, but I couldn’t tell what he was saying. That was the last thing I remembered before it faded into black. 

When I came to, I was still being held by the girl, however, there was a man in a doctor’s coat, presumably a doctor, tending to my arm. Currently, he was wrapping my upper arm in bandages, though there was a sling next to him. Noticing I was awake he gave me a gentle smile and a nod before continuing his work. I remained silent as the pain subsided but let out an occasional whimper from the sensitive areas of my arm.

Putting the sling over me, he double-checked his work. “How does it feel, Emerald? “ I thought about it for a moment, it didn’t hurt as bad but it was still excruciating, and got only worse when I moved my arm. He sighed sympathetically. “It’s going to continue to hurt for a few weeks when you move it, I have brought some painkillers for you. Make sure as well to keep it iced. If it gets worse have one of the guards tell Mr. White to give me another call, I hope it heals well. “ And with that, he got his stuff and left. 

I noticed Eric was sitting across the room staring at me, watching me like a hawk. He didn’t make any move to come closer, probably because of the girl holding me. Speaking of, who is she? 

Noticing me looking at her she gave me a motherly smile. Her black hair pulled into a loose ponytail, and her eyes were the color of caramel. Her dark skin contrasted with the bright orange clothes she wore. “I’m Lilac, “ I nodded silently.

I felt like a baby clinging onto its mother, but being in her arms has made me feel the safest I have since walking into this place. But at the same time, I was confused as to the dynamic of those around as it seemed like Eric was in charge but he was listening to Lilac who silently said to stay away?

“Are you okay? Also, I know you’re scared but play along “ Her voice was soft, it reminded me of milk and honey and I could tell she put extra care into making sure I was the only one who heard the last part. I shrugged as a response, but I could feel her nodding. “Lilac, go sit with the other butterflies. I need to speak to our newest butterfly alone. “ She was hesitating, so I moved off her and gave her a reassuring smile. She sighed and went to the others.

As Eric walked closer I used my good arm to get up from the ground, nearly falling but he caught me just in time. “Thank you “ I muttered with a small blush. He just smiles, leading me into a different room with a hand around my waist. I felt like throwing up, but also like leaning into him which only made my anger grow. 

The room looked comfy, more so than the previous. We sat in leather chairs across from each other, and I waited for Eric to talk. After a minute of staring into my eyes, he broke the silence. “I apologize for the guard’s behavior, he broke my explicit order of not harming any of you. I want you to know he will be properly punished for his actions. “ I nodded, looking down to fumble with my shorts. He hurt me, but if he did that to me I can only imagine what Eric will do to him. 

He sighed. “I don’t want you to feel unsafe around the guards. That’s my job to make you feel that way, “ The last part he muttered quietly which made me confused if I heard it right. I looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, but he had a face of innocence on so I didn’t question it. “How is your arm feeling? “

“It hurts like hell, especially when I move it, or when something touches it. When something does it feels like thousands of needles being jabbed into my arm all at once, god I never imagined breaking a bone would be so painful. “ He looked sympathetic. “I’m sorry, “ I just nodded, not knowing what else to say and I didn’t want to make him angry.

“I think we’re done talking for now, but if you need something you need or want, have one of the guards let me know. As you can guess, it will take time but I will come. “ I nodded, it admittingly made me feel better, even if I was freaked out, furious, and disgusted by this all. He led me back to the other room. 

“Go talk to the other butterflies now, tomorrow you will be given a set of rules and more, which I will be here for. All you need to know right now is listen to the guards, wear what you’re told, and when it is time for bed you can join one of the other butterflies but I don’t want more than 3 in a room unless asked for permission a few days in advance. “ I nodded again, this was a lot of information to take in at once but I knew I would have to remember it. At that, he kissed the hand connected to my good arm and said a parting goodbye to us and left. I went and sat with the “butterflies”.

Lilac was the first to talk to me, moving so she was next to me instead of the middle. I was thankful she was next to me again. She was my safe haven in this… Interesting place. After that, the others loosened up and started introducing themselves. I noticed they all had odd names, which means they probably aren’t their real names. 

I think Lilac noticed my confusion and told me they were all named after butterflies, myself included. She, for example, is named after the Lilac-Bordered Copper. She pointed at one of the bookshelves on a nearby wall that I hadn’t noticed that had a rather large book on it. “You can look for your butterfly in there. Their main color or the color Eric likes most is what decides your outfit color. “Ohh, so that’s why she was called Lilac but her clothes were orange!

One of the younger girls, Anise, raised her hand. Lilac chucked and asked her what she had to say. “I already know his butterfly! I saw it while I was looking through it one day. Do you want me to tell you or do you want to find it? “ She was very excited about it which made my heart melt. 

“Sure, tell me about it Anise, “ I was probably going to read through the book anyway but I couldn’t pass up the offer of making her happy to tell me about my butterfly. “You’re named after the Emerald Swallowtail or Papilio Palinurus! While it is still a caterpillar it feeds on citrus fruits and is native to Southeast Asia. They’re also really fast and their inside colors are black with a bright strip of a blue-green color and emerald spots near its head are where it gets its name from! “ I nodded, it was nice to see such purity in a place I’m sure lacked it. 

“That’s cool! Thank you for telling me about it Anise, I really appreciate it. “ She seemed to glow at that, it was adorable the way her big brown eyes gleamed and how she would make hand movements to prove her point, and when she got more excited she talked faster. 

“Butterflies, it’s time for bed! Your clothes are in your rooms as usual, and make sure to be in the room you’re sleeping in a half hour. Emerald your room is number 16, you also have bandages in there. “ We all nodded and got up, most of them going to their respective rooms except Lilac and Anise. Lilac asked if I wanted to sleep with her and Anise which I politely declined. 

“That’s okay, I’ll show you your room anyway. Anise, go change and meet me in my room and be quick about it! “ Anise saluted, and with a giggle ran down the hallway of rooms. 

I followed Lilac up the stairs and to the room that had a golden ‘8’ on it. I opened the door and felt the air knock out of my lungs at the lavish interior. The four-poster bed was king-sized with green covers and pillows and it was on top of a black raised platform. Around it was black drapes with green flower designs on a sliding rack thingy which would let them extend all around the bed. Next to the bed on both sides was a nightstand with a tall intricate lamp on top. 

Next to the table on the right of the bed was another doorway that when I opened it once again took my breath away. It was a black marble-floored bathroom with gold walls. Against the opposing wall from the door in the center was a large jacuzzi, also black marble on the outside. It had its own mirror on the wall and on the edge that was against the wall was a few green candles along with various shampoos and conditioners, all being flowery scents.

On both sides of the jacuzzi were benches with golden cushions. On the wall behind them were fancy wall lights behind a wide-holed copper metal mesh screen. On the wall on the left of the jacuzzi was a simple white toilet with a black marbled double sink with a bar of soap on it and cabinets on the bottom. Inside it was a small plastic box that had toiletries such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, a brush, a comb, etc. along with bandages. On the wall above it was a large mirror. Next to the sink, there was a laundry hamper which I noted.

In one of the corners stood a dark brown wardrobe with gold curly designs which I looked inside to see plenty of green outfits, ones being like the one I was wearing and sets which consisted of a tank top with PJ pants. Next to it was a door that leads to a small reading nook that had fairy lights hanging on top and a comfy looking couch in the middle. The bookcases were empty, however. “ Eric will fill the shelves with books that you specify you want and books in a genre that you ask for. “ I nod. 

Next to the door was a desk with another lamp along with a green journal and some pencils and pens. It also had a chair with green plush cushions tucked into it. Above it was a mirror with a gold frame. Across from the bed sat a green couch against the wall, a green chair diagonal to it, and a plush table like thingy in front of them. 

Next to it in the corner stood a chandelier looking lamp. “ Listen I know you want to look around more but we’re on a time limit here, so get ready, “ I realized she was right so I went to the closet and grabbed my pajamas and went to the bathroom and changed with a fair amount of struggle but I managed and left the collar on. I brushed my teeth and threw my clothes in the hamper after grabbing my bracelet. 

Grabbing the spring toilet paper holder, I disassembled it and put the bracelet inside and reassembled it, making it look like I never even touched it. I couldn’t lose it, I need it. 

I walked out of the bathroom and walked up to Lilac. “Thank you for earlier, I don’t know what I would have done without you. “ She nodded with a smile, and bid me goodnight before leaving me alone.


	7. Is This Heaven or Is This Hell?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get s p i c y

I sat on the bed. I curled into a ball and thought about all that had happened, all of my life choices, that led me to Eric, to here. Fire pulsed through my veins, the heat rising throughout my entire body. How could I be so stupid? I punched the mattress with my good arm, tears blurring my vision and a hard yell rushing through my throat. “  
and   
were the thoughts that ran through my head as I let out all of my emotions onto the mattress. 

I let my body collapse onto the comfortable bed, exhausted from the breakdown. I just laid there for a while, but finally decided to try to sleep. Maybe if I went to sleep I would wake up and this will have all been just a dream. I turned off all of the lights except one of the lamps next to my bed. I clenched my eyes shut, cradling my broken arm, and forced myself to sleep.

My sleep was plagued with night terrors about Eric which ended with me waking up screaming and a few of the guards rushing in and checking in on me. One of them, Alan, brought me a cup of warm chamomile and lavender tea every time. It soothed me.

Eventually, though, it was time for me to get up. I grabbed clean clothes from the closet and walked into the bathroom. I set the clothes on one of the benches and grabbed a towel, setting it next to the bath as it filled. I hummed a soft tune as I waited. 

Once it was done filling I turned off the water and got in, making sure to keep my bad arm out of the water. With some struggle, I put some of the lavender body wash onto the loofah and cleaned myself. I struggled even more to wash my hair, which I only did because I had been sweating most of the night due to the night terrors. 

Eventually, I was satisfied and got out of the tub. After drying myself off I put on the clothes and brushed my teeth. After putting the clothes in the hamper, I walked out of the bathroom. I wasn’t fully sure what to do so I knocked on the door for one of the guards. 

“What do you need, sir? “ It was unusual to be called sir but I went with it anyway. “I’m done getting ready, what do I do now? “ He checked his wristwatch. “ It is almost time for everyone to be in the dining room so you can go down now. If it wasn’t yet you would just stay in your room. “ Makes sense.

“Where is the dining room? “ The guard explained a set of directions which I tried to remember but I’m guessing he saw the confusion on my face so he called for another guard to escort me on his walkie-talkie. I thanked him and left with the other guard as soon as he arrived.

I paid closer attention to the halls and staircases since I was in less of a daze than yesterday. The grey carpet matched the black walls and ceiling and each door was a little bit inlying with wood frames. The staircases were wide and completely black.

I was in awe of the dining room. The tan wood flooring matched the off-white and brown brick walls. In the middle of the room was a long dining table with grey plush chairs. Around the room were dim wall-lights and a few dim chandeliers which hung over the dining table. Because all the lighting was dim it wasn’t very bright in the room and was easy on my eyes. 

Lilac was already in there with Anise, who waved me over as soon as she saw me. I took the seat next to her. “How was your first night? “ Anise was so innocent, but I didn’t want to lie to her. “It was rough. “ Her mood immediately shifted. I gave her the most convincing smile I could. “It’s okay, Anise. “ She looked at me for a while, trying to see if I was lying but dropped the subject.

Once everyone was seated some waiters and waitresses came out with food, setting it on a table that was against the wall. They also brought out drink dispensers, there was apple juice, orange juice, and milk. Everyone got in a line and got food. I chose bacon, scrambled eggs, waffles, and orange juice with a cup of syrup on the side. We all started eating, chatter filling the room. 

I asked Lilac to tell me more about the Garden. She told me that there were typically around 5-10 butterflies here at once, but it wasn’t uncommon for certain ones to go ‘missing’. They didn’t say it but the truth was implied. Eric killed them. Would he kill me too? “That’s… not the worst part. “ My eyes widened, killing wasn’t the worst thing Eric did to them? To us?

“While you’re here, you will typically be taken down to the basement once a month. More than that if Eric takes a special liking to you. “ The basement? What’s so bad about a basement? And why is going down there worse than being killed? “We’ll tell you later. All you need to know for now is follow the rules you’re going to be given and you’ll be fine. “ Great, now I’m left with more questions than answers!

After that, we talked about random things until we were all done eating. We went into the living room, which like the rest of the Garden was lavish as hell. Jeez, I knew Eric was rich but I didn’t realize he was   
rich, The pale-ivory c shaped couch had a wooden coffee table in the middle of the open space. It also had two extra cushions that looked like they would fit into the open area to make it a footrest for everyone.

Along with that, there were two living room chairs next to the couch. Opposite of said couch was an enormous tv mounted on the wall. Beneath it had a few glass cabinets which held various game consoles, and next to it were a few small shelves filled mostly to the brim with various games for each console. Besides those were small bookshelves with various books. 

For the most part, this room also had dim lighting. Sitting down we all discussed what we wanted to do and ended up choosing to watch a show. It was about a British detective and his friend who went around solving mysteries. Jeez, the sexual tension between these two was high. During the show, a guard came over and handed me a laminated paper with a list of rules. 

The words ‘strict punishment or death’ echoed in my head. But going by what it says, I survive as long as I play by the rules, right? Just like Lilac said yesterday, I might have been scared but I needed to play along in his sick game. 

That’s what it felt like, a game of survival. The others and I were the players, our opponent being Eric and the guards. The Garden was the setting, and the paper I was holding was the rules.

After watching a good few episodes it was time for lunch, so we went back to the dining room and repeated the same process as breakfast except with different food and drinks. Then we went back to the living room and decided to play a game this time. 

The game we chose was a racing game, but only 4 people could play at a time so we took turns. I was let play the first round since I was the newest, which was sweet of the others. Our competitiveness really showed as we started playing, and I was able to get first place in the first two races and second in the last two, and then we passed it along to the other butterflies who hadn’t gotten to play yet. 

It was fun to watch and seeing everyone’s playful behavior made me feel a lot better. And for a while, I forgot where I was. It felt like a sleepover with new friends, not a bunch of kidnapped minors being held against our will. That mindset lasted until a guard told us it was time to go swimming if we wanted, which we did. 

So everyone quickly returned to their rooms to get changed and grab a towel. At first, I was disappointed I couldn’t swim with everyone because of my cast but upon mentioning it one of the guards told me that it was a waterproof cast that I didn’t have to worry about getting wet. Neat. 

I managed to find ‘my’ room again and grabbed a swimsuit out of the closet. As to be expected, just like the other clothes it was green. I put it on and put the clothes I was wearing into the hamper in the bathroom. 

After I finished I walked out of my room and met up with one of the other butterflies, Scarlet. She had put her hip-length brown wavy hair into a braid. She and I had started talking earlier during the games, so I wasn’t all that nervous to walk up to her. We talked as we walked to the pool, which I found out was on the furthest side of the garden.

It didn’t take long to get to the glass double doors, and even from out here I was able to smell the chlorine. Going inside, I was floored by the beauty of this pool. Damn, Eric is extra. 

The sun’s rays going through the glass roof reflected off the Olympic sized pool. Around the pool were greek style pillars that held the second floor of balconies. Also on the sides of the pool where you could walk there was an absurd amount of beach chairs, likely so we could sit literally wherever we wanted. 

I also noticed two slides at the furthest part of the pool, one being curvy like the ones at a park and the other being curved and pretty flat. I also noted that there was a door to the side along with an open room connecting to the pool. 

Most of the butterflies were there already, splashing around. I noticed all of the black butterflies were wearing hair caps, likely to help protect it from the water by mostly keeping it out. I set my towel down and waded into the water.   
It was Melissa, I think, who asked. I shrugged, why the hell not? Anise decided she wanted to go first. 

I went to the center of the pool and counted down from 20 with my eyes closed, which would give them enough time to make it past me in the pool. I made sure I was counting loud enough so that they’d all hear me. 

Once the time was up, I shouted   
and listened closely for a response and moved towards what sounded like the closest voice. I repeated   
and heard a close reply. I reached out in that direction and touched an arm but I couldn’t tell who made the sound of disappointment.

This continued for what felt like forever since there were so many of them. Suddenly I felt the atmosphere of the room change, something had happened. I open my eyes, confused. I followed their eyes to the pool entrance and wasn’t ready. It was Eric, looking at us admiringly. It made my stomach twist into knots. I looked away.

I wanted to refuse, to just swim away. But I couldn’t, who knows what he’d do to me for that. Lilac gave me an encouraging smile so I reluctantly got out and stood as far as I could while being close. He grabbed my towel and handed it to me, so I quickly tried to dry off. 

After I was no longer dripping wet, just damp, Eric took my hand and led me out of the pool. “Where are we going? “ I asked. “We’re going to your room so you can clean up and change, and then you’ll be getting something I find special. “ Well, that’s concerning. 

We got into ‘my’ room, and I went to the closet to grab a fresh pair of clothes before heading into the bathroom for a quick shower. I made sure to be quick about it since I knew Eric was waiting and I didn’t want him to become inpatient. I brushed my teeth again and tossed the clothes into the hamper, before heading into the main bedroom where Eric was sitting on his phone.

He looked up as soon as I got out and gave me a charming smile, so I forced one in return. He once again took my hand and led me through the garden, stopping at an unmarked door. “Before we go in, I want to explain something to you. This person you’re about to meet knows your situation and even if you beg and plead for help he won’t. Disobey any rules and you will be punished after this meeting. “ I nodded slowly.

We went into the room, and immediately my muscles tensed. It was a man sitting next to a tattoo bed who was prepping a tattoo machine. No way in hell am I letting him put a tattoo on me! I backed up against the wall, trying to distance myself from them eliciting a sigh from Eric.   
I shook my head, feeling my body tremble, from fear or disgust or even shame I wasn’t sure.

Eric tried to grab me and force me to lay down but I resisted, planting my feet on the ground so it would be harder for him to move me.   
That set off a stronger fire that said to resist. Eric sighed and opened the door, calling out 

Just then three guards came in, two grabbing my arms so I couldn’t run and the other injecting me with something, presumably anesthetic. I continued to struggle for a bit, but I felt my body grow weaker. God, I’m so tired…   
I thought. I tried my hardest but soon enough my vision faded to black. 

When I woke up, I was laying on a bed. What the hell happened? God, everything was so fuzzy. Where am I? I opened my eyes a little, seeing Eric next to me on his phone. Ooooh, what a pretty man. Who is he? I admired him, feeling like a lovesick puppy. I was still sleepy even though I just woke up, so I snuggled into his side and decided to go back to bed. Before falling asleep, I felt an arm hold me close.

This time when I woke up, the anesthesia had worn off but I didn’t want to wake up yet, I was so comfy and warm! Wait… Who’s arm is that? My eyes shot open and I quickly sat up, causing my head to spin.   
I nodded and laid back down and looked over to the owner of the voice. It was Eric, without his suit jacket and the top buttons of his white polo unbuttoned. I looked away shyly causing him to chuckle.

That’s when I noticed I was completely nude, and I was brought completely back to reality. I also noticed something heavy around my neck along with my collar. This man was my kidnapper and the man holding me and the others hostage! I got out of the bed and backed away, angry at myself for cuddling up to him and angry at him, for undressing me, kidnapping me, and forcing me to get a tattoo. I felt my back hit the cold brick wall making me shiver but also wince in pain in the area around my lower neck, which is where the tattoo must be. Eric stalked forward like a hungry wolf watching its prey.

I seethed at him, making his smirk grow as he neared me.   
His eyes grew dark, and I saw anger flash across his eyes and his smirk to disappear. Quite frankly it was terrifying to watch, seeing how he just kept getting closer making our height difference more apparent. He grabbed onto my waist roughly, pushing me further against the wall. God, his eyes were cold.

His voice was husky but stern as he growled into my ear.   
Small tears ran down my face out of fear and shame, which only seemed to please him. He moved his calloused hands to cup my cheeks and give them gentle kisses. I shut my eyes, not wanting to look at him. Because it felt nice to be shown affection in such a way and I didn’t want to give him that satisfaction.

I began to tremble, not fully knowing what he meant by punishment. None of the others certainly wanted to talk about it. He sat on the edge of the bed. 

I shook my head, refusing. He rolled his eyes and pulled out a small remote, pressing a button and I instantly felt a shock of electricity run throughout my body, and not a gentle one either making me fall to my knees.   
I whimpered, and walked on all fours to him, kneeling in front of him as he asked. I felt the heat in my face, this was so humiliating. 

I looked away when I heard his zipper come down. He grabbed my neck and forced me closer.   
It was a simple command, but I didn’t want to. But I also didn’t want to be shocked again… I have no choice. I put my elbows on his calves to steady myself and grabbed his length, gently stroking up and down. 

I watched his reaction as I placed small kitten licks on his tip, hearing him groan in satisfaction. I took a deep breath and took him into my mouth.   
I kept reciting in my head like a mantra as I sucked him off, taking more and more of him each time until the tip reached the back of my throat causing me to gag and using my other hand to jerk him off.

He grabbed onto my hair roughly, forcing my head down at a fast pace making me gag as he combined it with snapping his hips up to meet my mouth until his entire length was in my mouth blocking my airway. Every few seconds he’d pull out and let me breathe, before plunging his length back inside, praising me throughout.

I felt him twitch, and a few moments later he shot his thick and salty load into my mouth. I tried my hardest to swallow it all, only missing a few drops that leaked down my chin. Eric pulled out of my mouth and wiped off the cum on my face before shoving his fingers into my mouth and having me suck on them. 

I hesitated but with a warning look from Eric, I did as he asked, leaning my torso over his knees. He rubbed my ass, kneading the flesh roughly.   
He smacked my ass, hard.   
He repeated the action, making my eyes tear up.   
He kept going, and I continued to count and despite me telling myself I wasn’t enjoying this I felt myself go hard against his leg as tears ran down my face from the pain.

Just then, Eric ordered me to go to the bed, and I complied, laying down on my back. He went to the side of the bed and grabbed my wrist forcefully and put it in cuffs, before repeating the process with my other wrist and my ankles so I was sprawled out and could hardly move.

He went over to the wall where I noticed an assortment of knives enclosed in a lockable glass case. He stood there for a moment before deciding on a small one. My eyes widened by the sadistic look in his eyes, knowing I had fucked up.   
I begged, my voice shaking as I stuttered on my words. He tutted, his eyes never changing. Where was the kind man I had met a few days ago?

He kneeled between my spread legs, his eyes wandering my body hungrily. He pressed the knife against my thigh first, not hard but hard enough to draw blood. I whimpered in pain but said nothing. I didn’t want to anger him right now.

He continued, eventually going hard enough to where it would leave a scar on my stomach, causing blood to quickly fall from the wound. I screamed in agony,  
But it didn’t stop.

Eric left cuts all over my torso and a few on my collar bone. He purposely cut lighter than before across from my heart but even then it bled pretty bad. Was he going to kill me? Was I going to bleed out here, in a dungeon by a man I thought was kind? 

I sobbed harder, my entire being filled with agony. This wasn’t as bad as when I broke my arm, but I felt this longer. He kept on for what felt like an eternity.   
I almost wanted him to just kill me, to end the pain. But then my family and my friends flashed before my eyes. I had to survive, for them. 

I heard him taking off his clothes, but I didn’t dare look. He was then on top of me, kissing my neck and finding my sweet spot, making me involuntarily moan. I felt him grin against my neck. 

He continued to leave deep purple hickeys down my throat and on my chest. Why did it feel so good? I shouldn’t like this, but I do. And despite my anger towards him, I liked that it was Eric doing it to me. Just then, he picked me up and brought me into a bathroom I hadn’t noticed. 

He brought out a bottle like thing and turned me so I was bent over the sink. Oh, so that’s what he’s doing. He’s cleaning my colon out. He inserted the part that goes in and squirted the liquid inside, making me groan. He then had me sit on the toilet so the liquid could come out. 

While we waited for it to come out, I observed his body. I noticed scars along his torso, but from what? They looked like slash marks, possibly from a knife. Was he… Abused?

It was an uncomfortable experience and a foreign one at that. I had never done anal, and before this, I hadn’t even done anything sexual. With anyone. Once it was done he repeated the action twice before deciding it was enough and gently rubbed a cloth with soap and water over my rim so it was also clean.   
He grabbed a different rag and wet it with warm water before putting it on my wounds, stopping the bleeding. I whimpered, the pain hurt so bad. Once they had he poured hydrogen peroxide onto them individually while I stood in the bath. He would pour it onto it and then gently wipe the excess after letting it set for a moment. We did this until they were all cleaned and not bleeding

After that, he led me back into the main room and pushed me down onto the bed, stomach down. I winced. He climbed on top of me, rubbing all over my body and grinding down onto my ass. Fuck, I wanted it. “Please, Eric! “ I could practically feel his smugness. “Call me Daddy. “ I nodded and felt him move away for a second to grab lube out of one of the bedside tables. 

I could see out of the corner of my eye him squirting it on some of his fingers, and he pushed one to my rim. I tensed at first when it got in, but Eric’s clean hand-rubbed soothing circles on my back. I tried my best to relax and took deep breaths, hearing Eric’s praise. He added another finger and made scissoring motions inside of me making me cry out in pleasure. “Daddy! It feels so good. “

He continued until he had three fingers comfortably inside of me before he put some lube on his length. It was bigger than his three fingers but I knew I could take it. He slowly pushed it in, letting out a loud growl as I moaned loudly at the fullness I felt. He slowly pushed it in and out a few times to make sure I was used to his size before speeding up, the sound of skin slapping skin rang through the air, especially as he smacked my ass roughly. 

I became a moaning mess, especially once Eric reached down and grabbed my length after turning me onto my back. He pumped it in time with his thrusts. “ Fuck, Daddy! Please!” He growled and nipped at my chest again. “What do you want, prince? “ I whined, not being able to think straight. “ Fuck me harder and deeper, please Daddy!” I was so lost in the pleasure I couldn’t even feel shame for the dirty things that came out of my mouth. 

He did as asked, and used his free hand to grab my throat, squeezing the sides of my throat which made me dizzy. It was all too much, I was going to cum soon. “ Daddy I’m going to cum! Fill me up please, Daddy!“ He growled loudly and deeply before he did just that at the same moment I did, my cum landing on my torso. He gave me a few slow thrusts, completely emptying himself in me before pulling out making me whine at the emptiness. 

I laid there completely limp and tired out as his seed spilled out of me. Eric gave me a sweet kiss, before getting off the bed and heading to the bathroom. Originally I was upset by this until I heard a bathtub filling up. When he came out he called some of the maids to change the sheets and asked my favorite flavor of electrolyte drink and what I wanted for dinner. I told him and he relayed the info before he hung up and carried me into the bathroom and set me in the tub and took off my shock collar. He got in behind me and I leaned back onto him. 

“Do you want some bubbles, love? “ I thought about it for a moment before deciding no, and I shook my head. He hummed and played with my hair while we sat there. I moved so I was laying on my stomach and cuddled up to him so I was off my sensitive ass. At this moment I didn’t care who he was, what he’d done. Right now he was my comfort as I came down from my high.

Once the tub was done filling he grabbed some conditioner and put it in my hair, giving me a scalp massage in the process. I sighed in relaxation and was pleased that he got none of the conditioner in my eyes when he rinsed it out. 

I sat on my knees and put some of the same conditioner in my hands. “May I, Daddy? “ He nodded and shut his eyes. I gently rubbed it in, making sure to massage it. I rinsed his hair off, and afterward, he gave me an award-winning smile that made my heart pleased that I had made him smile like that. 

He grabbed the loofah and put body wash on it before cleaning himself off a bit before gently rubbing it on my body and cleaning me up, taking special care around my butt and cuts. I appreciated that. The water turned a tinted red from the dried blood, but neither of us paid mind. 

Not long after that, we got out of the tub and he wrapped me in a really big and warm soft towel. He dried me off mostly, being more gentle around my cuts, but let me finish so he could also dry off. Once we were done he told me to turn around so I did. He grabbed a cream from the cabinet and started rubbing it gently on my butt, making me feel better. He also rubbed some cut ointment with CBD onto my wounds giving an initial sting but it was nothing compared to while he was doing it/cleaning them. He also put bandages on all of them, making me actually realize how many there were. 

After that, he led me to the main room, where my giraffe cape and stuffie were waiting on the clean bed and there were two steaming plates of chicken alfredo along with a cold blue electrolyte drink on a cart. I put on the cape for comfort and didn’t question how he got it. I didn’t want to know. 

Daddy grabbed a pair of PJ pants from an also unnoticed dresser. “Do you want to wear anything else, baby? “ I thought about it for a moment. “Are there any PJ shorts?” He nodded and handed me a pair. Putting them on I was pleased how soft they were. Eric also put on the pants. Afterward, we sat on the bed and Daddy brought the cart close to us. 

I went to grab one of the plates but Daddy stopped me. “ I want to feed you, baby boy, especially because of how good you were tonight and how rough I went on you.” I blushed hard and nodded, letting him feed me. He was making me feel like a baby but I didn’t mind. It was a bit unusual but not unwelcome. He continued to feed me, and let me take drinks here and there before eating his food. I finished my drink and laid down under the covers and cuddled with my stuffed giraffe. His name is Nathan, I decided. It was my dad’s name.

After Daddy was done he moved a large tv on a rolling stand in front of the bed and grabbed the remote before getting under the covers with me. I cuddled up to him and he played with my hair as he started switching through movies on a cartoon streaming service and ended up putting on a movie about a mermaid who fell in love with a human so she trades her voice for a pair of legs.   
I think it’s called. 

I didn’t care who he was at the moment, currently, I just wanted affection and skin to skin contact. I wanted the reassurance and praise he was giving me, soothing my anxiety. I wasn’t going to die, not yet… not yet. 

During the movie, I let my exhaustion slowly take over as I fell into a peaceful sleep, this time with no night terrors as I cuddled with Daddy.


End file.
